Talking about Olympic events while ramping up for the next major competition in Tokyo!

Saturday, January 17, 2015

The Procrastinator's Movie Review: Attack the Block

Attack the BlockRelease Date: May 13, 2011

Who was in that one again? John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, Alex Esmail, Nick Frost

I can't remember the plot. A gang from South London witnesses an alien invasion and arms themselves to defend their block (AKA their apartment complex).

The review: I'll be honest - the only reason I watched this was because the lead, John Boyega, is in the new Star Wars movie and I wanted to see him in something before that movie comes out. He plays the leader of the gang that mugs Whittaker - who I immediately recognized from Broadchurch - and then comes upon an alien that crashed into a car. Because of the choice they make concerning that alien, the gang must face the invasion of crazy-gorilla-looking aliens with no eyes but seemingly electric teeth.

I loved the look of the gorilla alien, since they were such a unique design. I also loved that the whole movie takes place within the neighborhood of the gang - there's no cutaways to a police station or the British government talking about what is taking place. However (unlike War of the Worlds) by the end of the movie you understand completely why these aliens are attacking.

Although this is a horror movie, it does keep some comedy, which alleviated some of the tension. I made sure to watch this in the morning, because I didn't know what to expect and I didn't want to freak myself out. Yes, there are some incredibly gory and disgusting parts, but if you know horror or pacing of movies, you'll know when to shut your eyes or look away if that isn't your thing.

Now how did Boyega do? He's pretty stoic and sullen in most of the movie, taking on the role of a quiet force in the gang. He does show some other emotions, but just for a brief moment. I thought he did fine for the role. Now I am interested to see his acting range when he takes on a role in a galaxy far, far away.MVP: Jodie Whittaker wins for being the just-moved-in nurse who has to tag along with the gang who mugged her in order to survive. She doesn't treat them like kids, but she does show plenty of resentment and doubt in them before she finally is convinced they are her hope for surviving.